Days before the Thanksgiving holiday, while Americans were bustling about preparing for the biggest travel day of the year, President Obama signed into law a bill restoring the horse slaughter industry in the United States of America. The news broke this past Wednesday; 12 days after the president signed the bill while traveling in Asia.
The reason behind the new law legalizing a person’s right to sell horses for slaughter within the country is simply the economy.
As more and more people struggle to uphold the lifestyles they’ve adapted themselves to, animals tend to suffer. There can be no doubt that a strong and clear correlation exists between the neglect and abuse of animals and the economy. All you have to do is visit your local animal shelter and see firsthand the rising number of dogs and cats being abandoned. Horses are no different. They too are being abandoned and left to starve.
A government investigation apparently determined that the banning of slaughter houses in the US has led to the neglectful and inhumane treatment of these gorgeous symbols of Western Civilization as a result of being sent to Mexico and Canada. In other words, with this new law in-force, the horses will be killed in a nicer way here than abroad.
But I think the government and current administration has it wrong.
Why slaughter them?
Isn’t there enough food in this country being sold in super-markets? Anyone can go to the meat section and buy hamburger, venison, bison, and pork. Do you really want to see horse meat next to those burger patties? We do not need another food source added to the waste heap. Instead, there needs to be stricter laws protecting horses and all domestic pets. Instead of training people to butcher horses and run the slaughter houses, why not train people about animal welfare and law enforcement. Doing so would still put the unemployed to work. Wouldn’t it be more humane to save the animals than kill them?
Another factor not addressed in this law, which by the way is embedded in a spending bill, is responsibility. People must act in a way that will protect the animals they choose to adopt. If an individual can no longer afford to care for a pet, they must do whatever it takes to find the necessary help to ensure that the animal will be cared for. In the case of horses, all you have to do is Google the words horse sanctuary. This resulted in 20,500,000 sites.
Finally, what is next to come as a result of this new law?
I can’t help think that allowing its enforcement may well lead to dog and cat meat being served alongside those cheeseburgers and hotdogs on July 4th.
Author’s Notes: There are many sites posting articles about this matter. One such article can be found on The Washington Times website.
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